that while i was roasting quartered tomatillos, roughly chopped onion pieces,

garlic cloves and a jalapeno for the salsa,

that i should throw

the ingredients for the black bean dip in the food processor.

by the time i had tasted and tweaked the beans, then tasted and tweaked some more,

the vegetables were beautifully browned and salsa-ready.

when combined, the beans offered just enough mellowness

that you feel you're eating something simple,

smooth and hearty and easy-going,

with a back heat that makes you want more and

start to believe

that you're noshing on something special.

and the salsa,

while deep in flavor, thanks to the roasted vegetable-only

mixture, offers a bright

note that you can only achieve by blending

them with an additional dose of raw onions and garlic

and, of course,

lime juice.

and, the guacamole.

please, if you take anything away from this super bowl saga,

let it be this:

it is so, so, so easy to make your own guacamole.

there's no need to buy a seasoning packet or

pick up a ready-made container.

i swear it took me 5 minutes total for a from-scratch batch

and i've been accused of being a slow-poke in the kitchen.

they were a hit

(i heard better than the jar murmurs).

and when it was time to serve

the lasagna,

i looked around and thought,

sure, it's probably better that i didn't expect

my guests to snack on chips all night,

but, truth be told,

we probably didn't even need

the bubbly dish.

these are all often-made, off-the-cuff recipes that i tried to quantify. but as usual, for recipes like these, have fun adding a little more garlic, cutting back on the lime juice or mixing in an something - like scallions, maybe - that you're crazy about. a lot of them, luckily, use similar ingredients, so you can get away with buying 1 bunch of cilantro, extra large onions or tomatoes instead of the medium ones specified and squeezing a couple of limes at once so that you don't have to torture the cut, which inevitably seems to appear on your finger when you're handling citrus, multiple times throughout the day.

smoky black bean

smoked paprika is our new favorite spice. its reminiscent of the seasoning on barbecue potato chips (in a good way, i think) and, since we've discovered it, has really helped improve the flavor of many dishes. i think it was made just to be paired with black beans.

In bowl of food processor, combine chopped tomato, onion, cilantro, garlic and lime juice; sprinkle with a dash of kosher salt. Pulse just until chopped. Add black beans, hot sauce, ground cumin and smoked paprika. Run food processor until mixture is smooth. Season with salt. Taste; add more cumin, smoked paprika, hot sauce, lime juice or salt, until it suits your taste. Transfer mixture to a bowl; cover and keep in the fridge until ready to serve. Can be made 1 day ahead.

roasted tomatilla salsa

i swear, it wasn't until i started this blog that i realized how much i adore roasting and more roasting. but, plain and simple, i think it's the answer to making questionable or out-of-season vegetables seem decadent and a way to truly deepen their flavor. this salsa, is not the kind of loose slip-off-the-chip type you may be used to. rather, because the only real liquid is lime juice, it's firmer and much more likely to show a dent when a bit is scooped from the bowl. if you're in the market for a pourable version, simply add a 1/4 to 1/2 cup chicken broth, vegetable broth or water before blending.

8-10 tomatillos

1 small onion, peeled, halved and divided

1 jalapeno, halved and seeded (keep the seeds in if you like it spicy)

when choosing an avocado, pick one that is deep green and gives a little when you push with your thumb. if there is little or no resistance, that one's not for you. i like chunky mixtures best and i find that when the avocado is really ripe, they collapse easily under your fork and leave little texture. also, it's lucky that this comes together so fast because you really want to serve it just after it's made to keep the guac from browning in front of your guests. if you're worried about timing, chop and juice the other ingredients earlier in the day.

2 ripe avocados

1 medium tomato, cored, halved, seeded and chopped

1/2 small red or yellow onion, peeled chopped

1 lime, juiced

1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped (this is up to you - if you worry about the spice, leave it out)

Halve avocados. Place the halves with the pits on a cutting board. Using sharp knife (and being very careful), whack the inner pit, twist the knife and pull; discard pits. Using spoon, scoop avocado flesh from skin and place in a mixing bowl. Using back of fork, mash avocado to desired consistency, making sure to leave pieces in tact. Gently mix in chopped onion, tomato and jalapeno, if using. Stir in lime juice; season with salt. Taste and adjust.

1 comment:

Ok, the words "shrimp ring" really gross me out. I know it's just a round plastic container full of shrimp cocktail, but it reminds me of the White Castle "chicken ring" which is a culinary abomination.